“A critical source for understanding how Free Negroes of the North were transformed by the battle to free their brethren in the slave states.” — Washington Post Book World
“These documents well represent the resilience, progressive spirit, and hope of black men and women during the pre- and post-Civil War periods.” — Journal of the Early Republic
“A fitting finale to a remarkable scholarly undertaking.” — Journal of Southern History
“A judicious and extremely useful selection of documents from one of the most important publishing projects of our time. At long last students in history courses throughout the country can become familiar with the crucial writings of the black abolitionists.” — David Brion Davis, Yale Univeristy
“The capstone of a heroic effort to collect and publish the papers of the black men and women who organized and led the movement against slavery in the antebellum North. Witness for Freedom provides the best entry point to understand the full complexity of Afro-American life in the North and the historic meaning of the struggle of black people for universal freedom and racial equality.” — Ira Berlin, University of Maryland at College Park
“For too long, black abolitionists have stood in the shadow of their white counterparts. In bringing to life these often-neglected men and women, and allowing us to read in their own words how they viewed the crusade against slavery, C. Peter Ripley has made a major contribution to our understanding of antebellum reform.” — Eric Foner, Columbia University
“A well-conceived and valuable supplement to the Black Abolitionist Papers volumes.” — Richard Blackett, Indiana University
